does having 4 alevels as opposed to 3 make you more employable????

i currently do 4 alevels: chemistry, french, maths and further maths, but i do a lot of extra curricular (my school is just one of them ones) and i think that if i continue with 4, i wont be able to get the best grades i can and therefore possibly not meet my grade offer. also, i could quit some extra curricular but i actually enjoy some and i enjoy having a social life and if i continue with 4, i might have to sacrifice a lot. btw i want to do chemistry at uni and none of the courses ive applied for need further maths, but ive been told 4 alevels always looks better than 3, even if theyre not like 4 A*s

Reply 1

gr8wizard10

no, tbh i've never checked a-levels in a CV.

- experience
- is this guy interesting (hobbies/extra curriculas) // given i'd spend more time with them than anyone else
- uni brand name - because its a decent proxy for ability

looked through CVs for IB and looks like many of my colleagues had the same rankings

Reply 2

mariahoward

Original post by gr8wizard10

so you think it's just better to have 3 really good ones than 4 pretty good ones?

Reply 3

gr8wizard10

Original post by mariahoward

so you think it's just better to have 3 really good ones than 4 pretty good ones?

so long as they have decent grades, in the world of work no-one cares what you can show that you excel at it. at least in my line of work

Reply 4

Honeybadger32175

Original post by mariahoward

Tbh it depends on your degree as well. For example, if you get a Masters or PhD, I doubt they will be that interested in your A-levels. Just focus on getting good now so that you will get onto the course you want.

Reply 5

harrysbar

Original post by mariahoward

so you think it's just better to have 3 really good ones than 4 pretty good ones?

Yes, it's always better to have 3 really good ones than 4 pretty good ones.

All Unis accept applicants with 3 A levels, even Oxbridge, despite the fact that many of their applicants will actually be doing 4 because they just love studying that much

Reply 6

mariahoward

Original post by gr8wizard10

so long as they have decent grades, in the world of work no-one cares what you can show that you excel at it. at least in my line of work

ok thanks so much!

Reply 7

mariahoward

Original post by Den987

ahhh i understand, so you dont think employers would use alevels as a deciding factor between two candidates for example

Reply 8

mariahoward

Original post by harrysbar

hahahaha ok cool thankssss

Reply 9

Nihilisticb*tch

What you've been told is a lie. Universities don't give any advantage to people who do 4 unless if the course requires further maths (and very few do). That being said, chemistry is very maths based in a lot of areas so further maths will be helpful. It won't be essential by any means but it would be helpful.

Reply 10

Honeybadger32175

Original post by mariahoward

ahhh i understand, so you dont think employers would use alevels as a deciding factor between two candidates for example

They will use work experience as a deciding factor. This is after they have looked at your degree of course.

Then again if lets say you have a 2:1 degree and you are competing against someone with a First class degree, and you have a lot of work experience under your belt and they don't, you will have the advantage.